Bare Bones Keep Aussie Punk Alive With “White Knuckles Black Tar”

August 20th, 2015 James Shotwell

One of the cool things about punk music is that it largely sounds the same no matter where in the world you happen to travel. The chords and lyrics will change, but the energy and passion that serve as cornerstones for the genre are always present. There is something embedded in that raw display of unabashed honesty that speaks to people of all walks of life; the battle cry for freedom, not just from the government, but from anything in life you wouldn’t choose for yourself. That is what lies at the heart of all punk, and if an artist can tap into it they can amass a reasonable following in no time at all.

Bare Bones is a five-piece punk band from Australia that loves a good time. Their music sounds like the soundtrack to a life spent as a perpetual rebellious teenager whose only desire in the world is a little more time with their best friends, and it’s every bit as raucous as you might imagine. I discovered the band not long ago, but I never found an opportunity to write about them until the video for “White Knuckles Black Tar” hit my inbox earlier today. The clip finds the band going all out for a night of drinking, street walking, and hangs. It’s nothing too elaborate, but it does give you everything you need to understand the world of Bare Bones. You can view the video below.

I’m no longer the younger kid who believed every passionate artist would eventually be recognized as the potential superstar they are, but I know in the marrow housed within my bones that this band is going places. There is something about the music of Bare Bones that leaps from the speakers, grabs you by the collar, and demands you consider a life of anarchy and rebellion alongside your closest companions. It demands you admit you’re not where you want to be and forces you to take action. You might cause a riot, but then again you might just quit your job and move home until you figure out what you really want to do. Whatever the case, Bare Bones deliver music that can help usher you in to a period of self-discovery we all very much need in our lives. Don’t miss out.

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.